Grain-drill



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

F. B. MGGABE.

GRAIN DRILL.

No. 302,754. Patented July 29, 1884.

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2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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I l, II II I n-n--lIi-lllMJl-E- E= Ari-wir @errent FRANCIS B. MCGABE, OFLEVISTOVN, PENNSYLVANIA.

GRAIN-amm..

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 30237511, dated July29, 1884.

Application filed October 30, 1383. (No model.) i

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANoIs B. McCann, a citizen of the United States,residing at Lewistown, in the county of Mifflin and State ofPennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement inGrain-Drills; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full,clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, forming part of this specication, in whichnFigure lis a side elevation of a portion of the drill, with the nearwheel removed and the other wheel broken partially away. Fig. 2 is avertical section taken in the line of draft. Fig. 3 is a partial planview showing one of the feeding devices within the fertilizer-box. Fig.4- is a rear end elevation; and Fig. 5 is a cross-section through lineac x, Fig. 2.

My invention relates to grain-drills; and it consists in the improvedshifting devices for ranking andcleaningthehoes,andmeansforautomatioally working them; in theconstruction of an adjustable lock-spring hoe; in a fertilizing feedingdevice, and in a lifting device for the hoes, as will be fully describedhereinafter.

In the drawings, A represents a part of the frame-work of a grain-drill,which frame-work is rectangular in shape.` At one end of this frame-workare arranged two sliding bars, I3 B, whose ends are contained in slotsor recesses inthe main frame, and which bars have in said slots orrecesses a lateral sliding motion. To these bars the drag-bars II of thehoes are attached, one set of the drag-bars being attached to one ofthese sliding bars, and the intermediate or alternate set of dragbarsbeing attached to the other of said sliding bars. These bars havegenerally been rocked to clean the hoes. I make them to slide sidewisein their slots in the frame by means of toothed racks a and b, whichproject from said bars at each end on opposite sides of cog-wheels c, onthe ends of an intermediate rotaryshaft, C. This gearing causes thesliding movement of one bar to impart a reversed sliding movement to theother bar.

For imparting motion to the bars a shaft, D, with crank E, is made tooperate through a rod, G, as shown. `This eccentric-rod is made with. aloop or bend, F, which may be either dropped upon the crank E ofthe mainaxle, to automatically shift lthe hoes and dragbars, or be lifted out ofcontact by a handle, F', so as to be operated by hand.

It will be perceived that the slide-bars move in a horizontal plane, andthat the hoes may be changed from single to double rank, or vice Versa.This is a great improvement over the rotary o1' rocking motion, for thereason that with the horizontal sliding adjustment the drill-teethalways remain at the same angle,

and the grain is always deposited at a uniform depth, whether shiftingthe hoes or not. This is a notable advantage over the rotary bars, whichsink the hoes so far in the ground that the grain is buried too deep.The length of the adjustment of the hoes is, furthermore, not limited asit is with the rocking bars.

Referring to the automatic shifting of the drag-bars, the slow motionimparted tothe hoes by this method is preferable to that obtained byhand-power, for the reason that in the latter case the quick motioncauses the grain to be hunched or thrown together,while in the formerthe grain is not sown alternately thick and thin, but is left morenearly uniform.

H represents one of the drag-bars of my lock-spring hoe. Such drag-baris made of two pieces of metal clamped together at the front end by theverticalbolts mm,which pass between the two bars or sections, and passthrough holes in a plate, I, underneath, and a spring, J, above, whichspring extends nearly t0 the rear end of the drag-bar, and is hooked toreceive a link or hoop, K.

Between the rear end of the two sections oi" the drag-bar there isdisposed the `flange a of the hoe L, which flange is jointed to thedragbar by a pivot-bolt, o. The under side of this flange has severalnotches, in either of which the link may be placed. By placing the linkin the notch nearer the pivot-bolt the tension of the spring may belessened on the hoe, and this adjustment also permits the inclina-tionof' the hoe to be varied, to run deeper or more shallow, as desired.Vhen the hoeis deflected to the rear by an obstruction, it yieldsagainst the tension of the spring and is instantly restored to itsformer position. Owing to the angle at which the link is placed, the

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. time thereafter. This is an important feature,

as otherwise the drill-teeth might vibrate during the ordinary course ofdrilling the grain. Furthermore, as the movement of the spring vis veryslight, a spring of much greater rigidity can be used.

For getting a more decided effect in changing the angle of the hoe andcausing the tooth to go :more or less deep into the soil, I make severalpivot-holes inthe fiange a of the hoe as at p and place the bolt o inone or the other, to set the hoe higher or lower.

I will now proceed to describe the feature which I call the doubleforce-feed fertilizersower.77

A2 is a fertilizer-box, in which is arranged on a vertical axis a flatdisk, B, and atoothed wheel, B2, combinedor connected together andprotruding through the box. The disk-wheel may be secured to either thelower or upper partof vthe bed-plate of hopper-bottom. As

' shown,it is located on the latter. The bottom of hopper is cut awaynearly equal in area to the circumference of lower wheel, in order to'make less bearing and to prevent fertilizer from packing and obstructingthe easy movement of the respective feed-wheels. The lower or disk wheelservesas a carrier, as does also the upper or toothed wheel, whereinlies the principle of a double force-feed. The fertilizer is carried outof hopper on the outer eireumferenee of lower wheel, assisted by theupper or toothed wheel, through the dischargeorifice c2, Fig. 4, whichis located between the upper and lower wheels on the back board of vhopper-box.

' of worm-wheel gearing into the interdental spaces of the toothed wheelnot only propel the same, but keep them clean. The two carrier-wheelscombined in one have a greater feeding capacity to sow fertilizer thanif separated and working independently of each other. The upper ortoothed wheel ispro- .vided with two open slots, b2,between the centerand circumference,r for the purpose of admitting any fertilizer to passthrough to the bottom feed-wheel. From the nature of these twocarrier-wheels it must be apparent that the fertilizer will be forcedthrough the discharge-opening with a very positive effect. The littlefertilizer that may be carried out of box in the interdental spaces ofthe upper or toothed wheel is of small consequence, as the feedingcapacity depends entirely upon the amount of fertilizerwhich may becarried out between the upper and the lower wheels. The sliding igage-plate p2 is for controlling the 'quantity of fertilizer to be sown,which maybe increased or diminished from fifty to eight hundred pounds,or vice versa, to the acre. rlhe quantity may be controlled when drillis in operation without a change of cog-wheels, which is done bymovingthe gage-plate p2, by the thumb-piece p3,on the outside of the box. rIhesmall flange fwhichproj ects over the toothed wheel on the inside ofhopper, is for the purpose of scraping off any fertilizer that may lodgeon top of the toothed wheel, so that all the fertilizer may be fed outof hopper.

I will now describe the means for lifting and lowering the hoes. Itconsists of'a roller-bar, R2, with small cog-wheel g2 on both ends, andattached thereto.

rloothed racks r are at-' tached to 4the side-bars of the frame for thegears g2 to work in, and an actuating-rod, r2, serves to pull theroller-bar B2 to the rear, which roller is attached to the drag-bar by achain, h2. Vhen the hoes are to be hoisted or lowered,the rod r2, whichis attached to the roller-bar, may be pulled backward or moved forward.The roller-bar is made to'move not only around its axis, but also in astraight line between two given points, by which is imparted to it adouble-acting capacity to take up the slack of chains which connect thedragbars with the same, so as to hoist the hoes when turning in thefield. 'Ihe gudgeons or journals jz, which are secured to and projectfrom either ends of roller-bar, vare guided in keepers k2, and made towork in the open slots IOO of arms M2, which are hung upon the main axleand carry the gears that transmit power from the pinion on the mainshaft to the wheel on-the fertilizer-shaft. The slot in the arms N2 isinclined, so that when the roller-bar is moved back or forth theprojecting gudgeons of roller-bar working therein throw thel idleiwheelsout of and into gear with the cog-wheels which propel this fertilizer orgrain shaft. By moving the roller-bar backward,.the feeding devices maybe shut off, and by reversing 'the motion, they may be started to sow.The actuating-rod r2 may be secured to either end of roller-bar, or atany intermediate point thereon, the middlebeing preferred.

I will now describe the means for regulating the depth of planting thegrain. It consists of a screw-bolt, S2, or threaded stud, with nutsecured to rear part of hoe; also a concaved shoe or holder, h4, and arunner-bar, r4, with a slot in its upper end, through which passes boltor stud S2. To the rear of hoe are secured the screw-bolt, flanged shoe,and the runner or regulator bar. The flanges of shoe are made to fitinto the curved' circumference of hoe, and the regulator-bar is made tofit into the vertical recess of shoe or holder. The

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runner-bar is secured so as to have no lateral i action, and so as tomove in a direct line or in the drill-row. The runner-bar is curved atlower end, which runs on the ground to keep the hoe from burying thegrain deeper than desired. The curved end may be made from one to threeinches wide, and, traveling in the drill track or row, the earth ispacked over the grain deposited therein, causing the same to stool outbetter and grow more thriftily. Besides, it is not liable to bewinter-killed. The runner-bar may bemade of any suitable material,ordinary iron (wrought) or steel being preferred. The oblong slot inrunner or regulator bar is for the purpose of regulating the depth ofthe grain." By moving the bar up more or less the depth of grain may beincreased or made to go deeper in the ground. By moving it downward thegrain may be sown more shallow. The regulator may be set to sow thegrain any depth from one-half to live inches deep.

The application of this device may readily be made to old drills as wellas to new ones.

rlhe great advantages over similar devices are simplicity, cheapness,and effectiveness.

This device will not climb over clods to lift the point of hoe out ofground, and thereby deposit the grain on the surface, instead of beneaththe same, and it cannot choke up with trash while in transit. The drillwill run lighter with this attachment to the hoes than without it, for,by keeping the points of hoes near the surface, there is less resistanceto be overcome in drawing the machine.

Having thus described my invention,what I claim as new is- 1. Therectilinearly-sliding shifting-bars B B', arranged transversely to theline of draft, and having independent toothed racks a a and b b,arranged parallel with the line of draft, one set above the other, incombination with cog-wheels c, arranged between the racks, for reversingthe movement of the bars, and the drag-bars H of the hoes, connectedalternately to the two shiftingbars, as shown and described.

2. The combination, with the drag-bar and the pivoted hoe having a frontflange, with notches, of the link K, hooked beneath the flange of thehoe, and the spring J, arranged longitudinally upon the top of thedrag-bar, and having its rear end hooked beneath the upper end of thelink, as and for the purpose described.

8. The angled or diagonal link, in combination with the spring and thedrill-hoe having a iiange with notches, as described.

4. The combination,with the fertilizer-box, of" the double 'force-feedconsisting of a disk and a toothed wheel placed above the disk connectedtogether, and both being arranged to work through the side of the box,as described.

5. The combination of the disk and toothed wheel connected together andworking through the side of the box, a gage-slide, and a wormshaft andworm meshing with the toothed wheel, and adapted to receive its motionfrom the axle, substantially as described.

6. rlhe combination, with the drag-bars, of the roller-bar Rihavingcoggearsfjl at its ends, chains connecting the drag-bars to the roller,and rack-teeth 011 the main frame,w11ereby the drag-bars are lifted bythe combined rotary scribed.

7. rlhe combination, with the rack-bars on the main frame and theroller-bar R2, having oog-teeth on its ends, and gudgeons or journalsaxle and carrying a cog-wheel transmitting motion from the main axle tothe fertilizershaft, to disconnect the latter when the hoes 4 areraised, as described.

FRANCIS B. MCOABE.

XVitncsses:

KATE Beisein,

S. J. Balsam.

and rectilinear movement of the roller, as deji, of the slotted arms M,hung upon the main

